The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Catherine Bernabe, a citizen of France. The objective of the breeding program was to produce highly floriferous plants of Salvia jamensis in a variety of colors. Plants of the unpatented variety Salvia jamensis were self-crossed during the Summer of 2001, at a commercial nursery in Henansal, France. The new variety was discovered in the Summer of 2003, at the same commercial nursery by the inventor, Catherine Bernabe, in a group of seedlings resulting from that crossing.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘MELEN’ by vegetative cuttings was performed at the same commercial greenhouse in Henansal, France in 2005 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations. All plants of ‘MELEN’ have been kept confidentially at the nursery in Henansal, France, with the exception of those supplied for Plant Breeders' Rights testing in Spring of 2009. Plant Breeders' Rights were applied for in April of 2008, however, there has been no commercial distribution or access to the variety.